Pastor Maselo Mosomane
“It happened in the spring of the year, at the time when kings go out to battle, that David sent Joab and his servants with him, and all Israel; and they destroyed the people of Ammon and besieged Rabbah. But David remained at Jerusalem.” 2Samuel 11:1 NKJ
King David was supposed to be out there in the battlefield with the army. He chose to remain behind instead. We are not given the reason why he chose to do so. I believe the reason why this incident was recorded in this portion of Scripture is because it was unusual for him to remain behind when the army was engaged in battle with the enemy. David was a man of war; staying at home in time of war was not his kind of stuff. He was a highly skilful soldier and his position as king also demanded that he should be out there leading the armies by example.
The Bible tells us in the subsequent verses that while he was at home something happened. He rose from his bed and walked around on the roof top. Again, we are not given the reason for him to be walking on top of the roof at that time of the day. We may assume that it might have been hot and he wanted to catch some fresh air. Maybe!
Now look at how what seemed to be an innocent stroll turned out to be. While he was up there he looked down and saw a naked woman taking a bath. The Bible says she was beautiful. David sent and inquired about the woman. Someone said to him, she is Bethsheba, Uriah’s wife. In other words he was saying; King David; hands off, she is married. But David disregarded the signal and sent messengers to bring her in with him and he had sexual intercourse with her. He committed the sin of adultery with someone else’s wife.
Well; one may say the woman was too beautiful to be resisted. Yes, Bethsheba was beautiful; but not for David to have. It doesn’t mean that for you to be faithful to God and your wife, your surrounding should be infested with ugly women. The office you work in will always have beautiful women; but they are not yours. Can you imagine your boss hiring strictly ugly ladies in your department just in case you don’t get tempted? Wait a bit! You can’t advance that as a reason for your unbecoming behaviour.
Let us observe the occasions of David’s sin and what led to it.
First; David neglected his business. Instead of being in the battlefield with the armies of the Lord, he remained at home. He was where he was not supposed to be at that time. I suppose; seeing that all men were out there fighting in the battle, Bethsheba did not suspect any man around, let alone the mischief of watching over women from above. Every time we are out of the way of our duty, we land in temptation.
Secondly; David was idling aimlessly up there. Someone once said; “an idling mind is the devil’s workshop.” A lot of times the devil gain advantage over us when we are not committed to anything. Idleness leads to all sorts of mischievous behaviour. Idleness is synonymous to laziness.
Thirdly; David had a wandering eye. We don’t need his confirmation to conclude that he walked about up there with the aim of seeing something. I am not sure that he had any naked woman in his mind but he was looking for some site to feed his craving eyes. Remember what tempted Even in the garden? It was the last of the eye. She said the tree “was pleasant to the eyes” Genesis 3:6. John said “for all that is in the world – the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life – is not of the Father but is of the world” 1John 2:16. Job said something different. He said; “I have made a covenant with my eyes; why then should I look upon a young woman?” Job 31:1. But not so with David! He saw an unsuspecting naked woman having a bath and he took her for himself and defiled himself before the Lord.
The bottom line is; if David could have been where he was supposed to be, he wouldn’t have stooped that low. He was at the wrong place at a wrong time. There were only two places he could have been and all these mess wouldn't have happened. One he was supposed to be in the battlefield with the armies of the Lord. Two; since he stayed home and it was in the night; he was supposed to be in bed with one of his wives or concubines.
How sad it is that many times when we step down from our rightful positions we fall into all sorts of problems. May we be found to be where we are expected to be at the expected time?
…to be continued
“It happened in the spring of the year, at the time when kings go out to battle, that David sent Joab and his servants with him, and all Israel; and they destroyed the people of Ammon and besieged Rabbah. But David remained at Jerusalem.” 2Samuel 11:1 NKJ
King David was supposed to be out there in the battlefield with the army. He chose to remain behind instead. We are not given the reason why he chose to do so. I believe the reason why this incident was recorded in this portion of Scripture is because it was unusual for him to remain behind when the army was engaged in battle with the enemy. David was a man of war; staying at home in time of war was not his kind of stuff. He was a highly skilful soldier and his position as king also demanded that he should be out there leading the armies by example.
The Bible tells us in the subsequent verses that while he was at home something happened. He rose from his bed and walked around on the roof top. Again, we are not given the reason for him to be walking on top of the roof at that time of the day. We may assume that it might have been hot and he wanted to catch some fresh air. Maybe!
Now look at how what seemed to be an innocent stroll turned out to be. While he was up there he looked down and saw a naked woman taking a bath. The Bible says she was beautiful. David sent and inquired about the woman. Someone said to him, she is Bethsheba, Uriah’s wife. In other words he was saying; King David; hands off, she is married. But David disregarded the signal and sent messengers to bring her in with him and he had sexual intercourse with her. He committed the sin of adultery with someone else’s wife.
Well; one may say the woman was too beautiful to be resisted. Yes, Bethsheba was beautiful; but not for David to have. It doesn’t mean that for you to be faithful to God and your wife, your surrounding should be infested with ugly women. The office you work in will always have beautiful women; but they are not yours. Can you imagine your boss hiring strictly ugly ladies in your department just in case you don’t get tempted? Wait a bit! You can’t advance that as a reason for your unbecoming behaviour.
Let us observe the occasions of David’s sin and what led to it.
First; David neglected his business. Instead of being in the battlefield with the armies of the Lord, he remained at home. He was where he was not supposed to be at that time. I suppose; seeing that all men were out there fighting in the battle, Bethsheba did not suspect any man around, let alone the mischief of watching over women from above. Every time we are out of the way of our duty, we land in temptation.
Secondly; David was idling aimlessly up there. Someone once said; “an idling mind is the devil’s workshop.” A lot of times the devil gain advantage over us when we are not committed to anything. Idleness leads to all sorts of mischievous behaviour. Idleness is synonymous to laziness.
Thirdly; David had a wandering eye. We don’t need his confirmation to conclude that he walked about up there with the aim of seeing something. I am not sure that he had any naked woman in his mind but he was looking for some site to feed his craving eyes. Remember what tempted Even in the garden? It was the last of the eye. She said the tree “was pleasant to the eyes” Genesis 3:6. John said “for all that is in the world – the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life – is not of the Father but is of the world” 1John 2:16. Job said something different. He said; “I have made a covenant with my eyes; why then should I look upon a young woman?” Job 31:1. But not so with David! He saw an unsuspecting naked woman having a bath and he took her for himself and defiled himself before the Lord.
The bottom line is; if David could have been where he was supposed to be, he wouldn’t have stooped that low. He was at the wrong place at a wrong time. There were only two places he could have been and all these mess wouldn't have happened. One he was supposed to be in the battlefield with the armies of the Lord. Two; since he stayed home and it was in the night; he was supposed to be in bed with one of his wives or concubines.
How sad it is that many times when we step down from our rightful positions we fall into all sorts of problems. May we be found to be where we are expected to be at the expected time?
…to be continued
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